Pneumatic highway marker



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Nov. 17, 1925.

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P, K. LINDSAY PNEUMAT'IG HIGHWAY MARKER Filed Nov. 30, 1921 3Sheets-Sheet 2 .SSN 5.550%@ liv/venia?? PPs/Zip ILL ra/ds zycmu?, lagmwyca Nov. 17, 1925.

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Hi/ige 1711522520 y @wu/f7, 60% M Patented Nov. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP X. LINDSAY, OF SOHERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNO'B TO SPRAYPAINT- ING & FINISHING EQUIPMENT C0., A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

PNEUMATIC HIGHWAY MARKER.

Application led November 30, 1921. Serial No. 518,979.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHiLIr K. LINDSAY, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of`Somerville, in the county of Middlesex and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Pneumatic Hi fhwayMarkers, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on thedrawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to markers for public highways and like urposes,and more particularly to pneumatic highway markers for automobiletraffic. v l

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily understood,I have disclosed a single embodiment thereof in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side elevation in part broken away, of anapparatus embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section upon the irregular line 2-'2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the apparatus disclosed in Fig. l; and

, Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical longitudinal sections at right angles .toeach other taken through the spraying device preferably employed withand as a part of my 'apparatus and representing the preferred shape ofstream issuing therefrom.

1With the increase in automobile traffic and particularly upon narrow orcurving highways, demand has come for a device to mark the highways inorder to direct traffic upon the proper side of the highway and also toindicate intersecting roads or to give special warning or information.Within recent months highways have been marked extensively for thispurpose, but so far as I am aware the markings have been placed thereonby hand brushes. An important object of my invention is to provide adevice whereby markings of this character may be uickly placed uponthehighway and may e of a substantially permanent character or needingrenewal only at relatively long intervals.

' v I am aware that it has long been customdered substance such as limehas been mainly employed for that purpose. For marking public highwaysit is necessary that coatmg material be employed of such a nature thatthe marking will not be readily cffaced in spite of the wear to whichthe marking is necessarily subjected by tralic.

I will set forth the lpreferred embodiment of my invention, it being oneemploying a coating material such as paint, under pressure, such coatingmaterial being desirably but not necessarily discharged as a relativelytliin sheet transversely of the marking, the width of the sheetsubstantially corresponding to the width of the mark.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a shaft is indicated at lin Figs. l and 3, it having mounted thereon, and preferably loosely, thewheels 2, 2 of suitable size. Any suitable number of wheels may beemployed, but in ractice I have found two to e sufficient. pon saidshaft about midlength thereof is mounted a sleeve 3 having hub likemembers 4 at its ends, supporting a housingindicated generally at 5 1nFig. 2 and which may be of any suitable shape. Desirably the housingwhich may be of sheet metal, is of general inverted U shape. It is shownas composed of a pair lof top plates 6, 6 having outer horizontalportions and integral, inner, upstanding portions 7, 7 between which areadapted to be clamped or otherwise secured the pipes or tubes 8, 9 oflthe spraying device proper, as by means of a bolt 10 and a wing nut 11.

Secured to and depending from the plates 6 are vertical plates 12, 13which may if dcsired be secured to the plate 6 by supplemental plates14, 15 and bolts 16. The depending plates 12, 13 are spaced apart adistance slightly greater than the width of the mark that is to beplaced upon the highway. Preferably I secure to said depending plates12, 13 means adapted to contact or substantially to contact with thesurface of the highway, but desirably yieldingly, so that the saidmeanswill serve to impart sharp or well defined lateral edges to themark.

For this purpose I have herein represented two plates 17, 18 positionedrespectively at the inner faces of the plates 12, 13, the latter havingslots 19, 20 within which are received for vertical movements bolts 2122 extending through the plates 17 18 and .through washers 23, 24. Thelatter are held in position by the heads 25 of the bolts and the nut-s26 thereon, but with sucient play to permit the`plates- 17, 18 freely toyield to inequalities in the surface of the highway, while desirablytouching the same at all times. Within the scope of my invention thewalls of, the housing including the plates 17, 18, if employed, may notactually touch the surface of the highway, but in the course of myexperimentatlon, I have ascertained that the best result-s are obtainedby having the parts actually contact with the surface of the highway asstated. lhe said plates 17, 18, are of sullicient length, as representedin Fig. 1, to prevent the coating from being blown away by the air blastor otherwise, and dcsirably the ends of said plates 17, 18 are beveledas indicated -at 27 to permit them to ride more easily overobstructions.

'lhe housing composed of the plates 6, 6, 12, 13, 1'7, 18, is mountedupon the sleeve 3, as most clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, and insuch a manner that the operator may more up and down the parts held inhis hand independently of relative movement between the wheels 2, 2 andthe shaft 1.

I will now describe one form of coating means employed as a part of themarking device, it being understood that any other suitable coatingmeans may be provided, but that the best results are obtained not onlyby employing pneumatic or like means for spraying paint, but also byemploying means whereby the paint is discharged from the coating meansin a relatively thin sheet of the widthof the mark.

The coating means is provided with two pipes 8, 9, desirably supportedas described and of sulicient length so that the operator standing erectmay grasp them as a handle, as indicated at 28 in Fig. 1, the said pipesbeing broken away as indicated at 29. In communication with the pipes 8,9, are respectively a source of compressed air and a supply of coatingmaterial, such as paint, desirably under pressure fro-m the compressedair supply. In practice I mount upon a truck an air compressor forproviding air under pressure and also a receptacle desirably incommunication therewith containing paint under air pressure, and Iprovide the said tanks or receptacles with suitable valves, gauges,etc., so that the pressure of the' air and of the paint at the point ofdischarge may be independently controlled.I

Furthermore I provide means within ready access of the operator wherebythe supply of paint and the supply of air may be cut off at or near thepoint of discharge. For this latter purpose I have represented a trigger30 formedvas a lever pivoted at 31 upon a suitable bracket 32 andconnected by a rod 33 with the control means 34 for the coating meansas' shown most clearly in Figs. 1 and .4, as a trigger formed as alever. The pipes 8 and 9 extend into and support in a depending osition,as indicated in Figs. l and 3, the ody 35 o f the coating means proper,which I will now describe in suicient detail 'without limiting myinvention to the use of such means. l

- The body 35 is cored to r'ovide a longitudinal passage 36A whic 1 isinternally threaded at 37, 38, for Vthe reception respectively of atubular member 39, threaded at 40 and a needle valve 41 threaded at 42.'lhe tubular member 39 at its forward end is preferably formed to permitthe passage of the coating material issuing from a valve chamber 43 intothe passage 44 and thence into the circumferential space 45,' theforward end of the tubular member 39 being preferably squared asindicated at 46. Thus the coating material when the valve 47 is opened,is permitted to flow through the pipe 9, the valve casing 43, the

passage 44, 45 and thence past the squared formation 46. Upon theforward end of the tubular member 39 is threaded or otherwise positioneda cap 48 and the needle valve 4l is seated at its outer end in said cap48, the latter having a central orifice 49 for the issuance of the sprayindicated `at 50. The needle valve may be guided and positioned by anysuitable means as for example by a coiled wire 51 encircling the headofthe valve and maintaining it in central position when the valve isunseated. The rear end of the valve 41 is provided with a suitable locknut 51".

The air pipe 8 is in communication with a passage 52 in the body 35,itself being in communication with a valve chamber, not shown, but inlateral parallelism with the valve chamber 43 for the paint, andcontaining a valve from which extends a valve stem to be operated by thetrigger or lever 34, and in such manner that the paint and the air maybe controlled substantially simultaneously. Said valve chamber is incommunication with an air passage 53 extending 'therefrom and indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. 4. This passage communicates with the passage 54of the tubular member 39.- When the air valve (not shown) is opened theair flows through the passages 52, 53 past the valve into the passage54, controlled by the needle valve 4l.

Upon the outer end of the body 35 is threaded or otherwise suitablysecured a preferably cap-like member 55 herein shown as having aconcaved inner surface and a small central opening 56 in line with theaxis of the needle valve 41. Desirably the length of the threadedportion of the cap 55 is sufficient to permit adjustment of said cap soas to `provide for the effective formation of a film and for a variationof the thickness thereof. It is not, however, essential that a film beformed, since the paint or other coating material may be supplied in anysuitable manner.

By reason of the construction of parts thus far described, the formationof amass or spray of generally conical form issuing through the' orifice49 is effected. VVhle for certain purposes this is sufficient, Idesirably provide means for discharging one or more supplemental airjets upon the discharged paint or other coating material and in such amanner as to change `or transform the issuing spray from a conicalformation circular in cross section into a sheet. For this purpose Iprovide a generally cylindrical niember 5T herein shown as having twotubular extensions 5S, 59 preferably diametrcally opposed to each otherand terminating in the discharge passages 60, 61 inclined to ward eachother as clearly represented in Fig. 4.

The two or other number of supplemental air passages 58, 59 aredesirably in constant communication at their inner ends through passagesor ports 62, 63 with a completely annulaipassage or groove 64 shown asformed upon the outer surface of the forward end of the body I haverepresented the body 35 as provided with a thread (i5 desirably inadvance of and also `in the rear of the annular passage (i4, so that asubstantial longitudinal adjustment is permitted of the member 57,whereby I may vary the point of application of the supple-v mental airjet upon the coating material as discharged through the orifice 49,thereby l varying to some extent the .shape of the discharged mass ofcoating material and the degree of ineness of such coating material. Theannular passage 64 and hence the pas sages 58, 59 are in communicationwith the longitudinally extending passage GG and the communicatingpassage 67 of the body 35. The passage 67 is/ in communication with themain air passage 53 by means of a port 6 8 controlled by the valve G9threaded into an opening in the body 35 and preferably having a knurledhead 70 by which it may be readily turned manually. The inner taperedend 71 of said valve is adapted to be seated so as to close the port 68or to be opened fully or to any desired extent, thus regulating theairsupply through the passage 68. This valve is in effect a reducingvalve whereby the supplemental air pressure can be regulated and wherebyany desired degree of fineness of the discharged coating material may beobtained. It will .be observed that the member 57 is capable not only oflongitudinal adjustment but is mounted for circumferential or rotarymovement upon the body 35, so as tosecure any desired plane of the sheetof coating material and to maintain such plane thereof,

it being evident that the discharge ofthe supplemental air jets uion thebody of coating material issuing rom the orifice 4t) transforms the sameinto a sheet, as indicated at 72 in Fig. 4. Desirably' the parts are soproportitmed that the issuing sheet 72 of coating material contacts withthe plates 17, 18 of the housing slightly above the lower ends or edgesof said plates, as indicated in Fig. .3, and in such manner that thecoating material will run down the remaining distance and form sharpedges of the mark on the roadway.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that the device may bereadily and quickly moved along the highway as far as the hoseconnections to the pipes S, t) permit. Desirably said pipes haveconnected at their outer ends at 73, 74, iiexible hosing itself incommunication with the tanks or reservoirs hereinbefore referredito.Obviously the truck carrying such supply may as desired be moved alongthe highwav and thus themark may be placed speedily yet accurately. Theoperator by reason of the hand control can at any time through the rod33 operate the trigger 34, so as to cut otf both the air and the paintsupply or vary the same as required, and the pressures of the paint andair may be controlled from the supply upon the truck.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, Idesire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes oflimitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the followingclaims.

Claims: l j,

1. A highway marker comprising in combination, a wheeled support, ahousing mounted thereon, and having a mark-defining portion yieldablesubstantially vertically, spraying means carried by the parts, and meansto supply coating material under pressure and a motive agent to thespraying means.

2. A highway marker,co1nprising in combination, a wheeled support havingan axle, a housing mounted upon the axle and angularly movable withrespect thereto, said housing having a yieldable mark-defining portion,spraying means carried by the parts, and means to supply coating underpressure and a. motive agent to said spraying means.

3. A highway marker comprising in combination a wheeled support, ahousing extending into proximity to the highway, handle means forpropelling the marker connected to said housing, said housing beingangularly movable by said handley means relatively to said support, toadjust said housing to the plane of the highway, at least thelowerportion of said housing being yieldable substantially verticallyto'conform to irregularities in the surface to be marked, spraying meanscarried by the parts intermediate the sides of said housing, means tosupply coating and a motive agent\to said sprayin means, and manuallyoperable means or controlling the supply of coating and motive agentpositioned within ready access to the operator propelling the marker.

4. A highway marker comprising in combination, a wheeled support, ahousing mounted thereon and ada ted to define the lateral limits of themar upon the highway, spraying means carried by the parts, and meanswhereby said spraying means is caused to discharge the coating materialin a sheet extending transversely of the mark.

5. A highway marker comprising in combination, a support adapted to bemoved along the highway, a housing mounted upon said support and adaptedto define the lateral limits of the mark upon the highway, sprayingmeans carried by the parts and having' means whereby the spray isdischarged in a relatively thin sheet extending transversely of the markand of a width substantially coinciding with the width of the said mark.

along the highway, a housing mounted upon said support and having aplurality of spaced members adapted substantially to Contact with thesurface to be marked and to define the lateral limits of the mark,spraying means carried by the housing intermediate said members andhaving means whereby the spray is discharged in a sheet extendingtransversely of4 the mark of a width substantially coinciding with thewidth of the said mark, and means-to supply coating under pressure and amotive agent to said spraying means.

7. A highway marker comprising in combination a wheeled support, ahousing adapted substantially to Contact the highway and having a.widthconforming to that of the mark, said housing being adjustable to theplane of the highway by angular movement upon and relativel to saidsupport, at least that portion of said housing which substantiallycontacts the highway being yieldable substantially vertically, sprayingmeans carried by the parts between the sides of the housing, and a pairof supply pipes vextending from Vsaid spraying means and adapted toconduct to said spraying means coating material and a motive agentrespectively.

8. A highway marker comprising in combination, a wheeled support, ahousing having a width conforming to that of the mark and elongated toblowing the coatlng material, spraying means carried by the partsbetween the sides revent the wind from` along the highway, a housing ofgeneral inverted U form in cross sectlon and carried .by said support,each upright part of said housing having a yielding plate adapted torest at its lower edge on the roadway and to yleld to inequalitiesthereof, spraying means carried by the parts, and-means to supplycoating material to said spraying means.

10. Ahighway marker comprising in combination, a wheeled support, ahousing mounted thereon and in general inverted form cross section, avertically yielding platel carried by each upright part of the houslngand adapted to rest at their lower edges on the roadway and to yield toinequalities thereof, said yielding plates being spaced apart the widthof the mark, spraying means carried by the housing, supply pipesextending therefrom and constituting a handle for the operator, andadapted respectlvely to conduct to said spraying means coating materialunder pressure and a mo- -tive agent.

11. Ahighway marker comprising in combination, a support adapted to bemoved along the surfaoe'to be marked, a housing mounted upon saidsupport and having a mark-defining portion, at least said portion beingvertically movable relatively to said support to permit the parts toconform to a non-horizontal surface to be marked, spraying means carriedby said` housing, and means to supply coating and a motive agent to saidspraying means.

12. A highway marker comprising in combination a wheeled support, ahousing mounted thereon and angularly movable relatively thereto in avertical'plane, spraying means carried by said housing, vand means,whereby said spraying means is caused to discharge the coating materialin a sheet extending transversely of the mark and of a widthapproximating the width of said mark.

13. Ahighway marker comprising in combination, a wheeled shaft, ahousing supported upon said shaft and including a plurality of spacedmembers adapted substantially to contact with the surface to be marked,means for sprayingl a coating material carried by said housingintermediate said members and means for forming the spray of coatingmaterial into a relatively thin sheet extending transversely of themarking.

14. Ahighway marker comprising in combination, a wheeled shaft, ahousing supported upon said shaft for angular movement relativelythereto in a vertical plane to permit said housing to conform to aninclined surface to be marked, said housing'r including a plurality ofspaced depending members adapted yieldably to contact with the surfaceto be marked, spraying means carried by the housing, supply pipesextending therefrom and adapted to supply to said spraying means coatingmaterial under pressure and a motive agent.

15. Ahighway marker comprising in combination a Wheeled support, a.spray nozzle mounted on said support, means on said support adapted tocontact the highway at opposite sides of said nozzle to define thelateral edges of the mark, said means being movable with respect to saidsupport to effect adjustment of said means relative to the surface to bemarked', a pair of suppiy pipes extending from said spray nozzle forconducting thereto coating material and a motive agent respectively.

In testimony whereof, I have Signed my name to this specification.

PHILIP K. LINDSAY.

